


We Will Learn Together

by coffeeblossoms02



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff and Angst, M/M, i still don't know what to tag help
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-23
Updated: 2019-02-23
Packaged: 2019-11-04 09:56:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17896307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coffeeblossoms02/pseuds/coffeeblossoms02
Summary: “We’ve talked about this and I told you I forgive you already. Please forget about that. I don’t want you to be haunted by something I’m already over with...”Or, in which Renjun and Chenle make a promise to each other, despite what happened in the past, to try and give their best.





	We Will Learn Together

**Author's Note:**

> this is kind of an apology, a substitute for We Will be Okay that i took down some time ago. turne out, i still hung up over the story myself so i want to make a proper closure, thus this was made. i thank you everyone who have read, bookmarked,subscribed to WWBO, i hope you can enjoy this as you did WWBO <3 

He sees it all, the pure adoration in Jisung's eyes when he looks at Chenle, the deep compassion Chenle has for Jisung, reflected in how he treats Jisung like he was his precious, better half. The way they are so comfortable with each other, the way they fill up each other’s lacking, the way they blend and resonate in one another, that for the onlooker, it feels feather light, it’s way too natural, sweet and adorable. But Renjun only feels his stomach twists and churns at the sight.

They're at Jisung's place, celebrating his birthday. Chenle planned the surprise and prepared everything, from the cake, the food, to the background music. He was also the one who decorated the place while Jaemin and Jeno took him out for a distraction. 

And Renjun, as Chenle's soul mate, happened to be dragged into the whole preparation. " _You and Jisung are important to me_ ," Chenle said while picking up gift, jumbling two notebooks with handcrafted covers in his hands, soft smile tugging on his lips, and heavens know his eyes had the most endearing look, throwing back into precious memories he held close to his heart. He turns to Renjun, slipping one of the notebooks back to the shelves. " _And I want my important people to get close too_."

How would Renjun deny Chenle anything when his own heart burning, aching with the strong need to be there for him, to live up as Chenle's important person?

" _I'm glad_ ," Renjun replied curtly, afraid of what else was going to come out of his mouth if he didn't stop himself, picking up random pen, because apparently, Jisung loves thinking and writing when he's not dancing. He twirls a blue pen in his fingers, watching the slim frame dancing to his will, to his control. After contemplating other choice of gift that could be useful for Jisung and play with the pen a bit, he waves it in Chenle's line of sight, who's now skimming another shelves, " _How about this?_ "

Chenle eyes the pen then turns to him, smiling, " _It's perfect, ge. Sungie will love it._ "

He smiles back, throwing the pen into the shopping bag, contented that Chenle approves his choice that complements Chenle's gift, ignoring a weird pang in his chest because of the way Chenle mentioned Jisung so lovingly, talking so knowingly of his long time best friend's preference. 

And now, Jisung, even when he’s swarmed by his other friends, somehow is still glued to Chenle's side, as if his world is gravitated around him; while Renjun watches from the other side of the room. Jisung looks at Chenle like he hung the stars in the sky as the younger Chinese talking animatedly and everyone is immersed to whatever he’s got to say, because that's just how enchanting he is. Chenle's hand will always naturally find Jisung's, their gesture of assurance that they're here for each other, he'd realized.

Chenle respects him, he knows that. But he knows that he can't beat the connection Chenle has with Jisung. And he is Chenle's soul mate. 

"You're jealous," Donghyuck's smooth, honey voice disperses his thoughts. He glares at the pretty tan boy and Donghyuck raises his hand in defense. But the understanding look he catches in Donghyuck's eyes, instead of the teasing he thought would be there, somehow is more irritating to his jealous mind.

Sometimes he forgets Donghyuck could read him. And there are times he wishes Donghyuck would just shut up when he did so. He scoffs, "As if." 

Donghyuck chuckles before sipping his drink, "Whatever floats your boat, lover boy."

He rolls his eyes but doesn't answer, opting to down his own drink, going back to watch his soul mate and the best friend. Because he knows he doesn't have answer to that. Because he knows it's true, that he is jealous of what Chenle has with Jisung. 

"It's like fate is playing with me, don't you think?" Donghyuck's sweet voice, with a tinge of sadness this time, dissipates his trance once again. He shifts his gaze to him. Donghyuck has that unmasked, sad smile on his face that makes him looks smaller. 

"Hyuck..."

Donghyuck shakes his head, "Don't." He tears his eyes from Renjun, looking at Jisung. But even as he does so, he has that distant look in his eyes, looking far past Jisung, visiting places Renjun doesn't wish to know. "I'll learn to love him, eventually."

Unconsciously, his eyes falls to the soul mark on Donghyuck's wrist that hanging on his side, red and proud, accompanied by the obnoxious lime green bracelet with smiley face and sunflower beads that stands out on his beautiful skin color. He slots his hand with Donghyuck's, giving him a light squeeze. He follows Donghyuck's line of sight when he squeezes back, to their soul mates, "We will learn together."

Donghyuck snorts, "It's easy for you, your soul mate loves you and you're not in love with your best friend who has already met his soul mate."

"I'm not in love with my life either, remember? My soul mate is just unlucky to be fated with me. So we're all doomed here," he retaliates without missing a beat, smiling. 

Donghyuck turns to him, his gaze softens, "Damn, let me be sad here, will ya?"

"Why be sad alone when you can be sad with me?" he teased. But he gets flustered when Donghyuck doesn't answer, staring at him with fond yet unfathomably sad look in his eyes instead. He clears his throat. "What?"

Donghyuck shakes his head again, chuckling lowly, "Nothing. You call him your soul mate, not _'that brat'_ , not _'Zhong kid'_ , not _'Chenle'_. But ‘my soul mate’." 

He opens his mouth at the revelation but nothing comes out. He licks his lips, sighing. "I'm sorry," he says, to the agony in Donghyuck's brown eyes. 

Donghyuck laughs, but Renjun can hear that he's torn between amusement and dismay. "Why sorry, silly. I'm glad you finally accept your soul mate." 

He pauses and looks away from Donghyuck. But his eyes fall back on a familiar figure. The younger—his soul mate—was laughing; everyone else around him was laughing too, but Chenle shines so bright that Renjun, or anyone, couldn’t help but to stop and stare to admire. "He is a nice kid,” he breathes, more to himself than to Donghyuck.

He has a lot of things to say about Chenle, but Donghyuck is heartbroken not only because of his unrequited love for Renjun, but he also turned out to be soul mates with Jisung so he doesn’t need to hurt him further.

 _Beautiful_ , he wants to say. _Wait, that’s not quite right._ _Chenle is many things_.  _He is amazing, brilliant, and effortlessly beautiful as he is_. _He has a heart that’s too big for his body, warm and kind_. _He is loud, he doesn’t like to lose, but he would act dumb and buy questionable things for you just to see you smile_. _He is too good for this world, yet the world needs more of him_.

“What wouldn’t I give to be Zhong Chenle for a day,” Donghyuck mutters beside him, “Both his soul mate and his best friend look at him with the stars in their eyes.”

“You are a star yourself,” he says after a heartbeat, squeezing Donghyuck’s hand in his, “A big one. You are the sun, remember? Shining down our world.” He smiles when Donghyuck looks back at him. “You light up my world, Hyuck.” He can’t reciprocate Donghyuck’s feelings, but he is still Renjun’s best friend, Renjun’s important person. “You are my sun.”

“Who are you and what did you do to Huang Renjun? I want him back!”

“Bitch, I’m trying to lift up your mood here.”

Donghyuck laughs, more freely this time, “That’s more like it.”

They go silent after that, dwell in their own sad bubble in a party full of happy people, hands still clasped together. 

Not feeling like staring at Chenji (Chenle and Jisung, courtesy of Chenle) any longer, Renjun’s eyes roam around the room and find Jaemin and Jeno. The couple are so in sync they function as one instead of two persons, they bicker a lot but nobody could ever see one without the other in sight, they complemented one another painstakingly thoroughly people start to see them as twins instead of soul mates. But even if one can’t see them paired romantically, they couldn’t deny the strong bond and chemistry Jaemin and Jeno have.

He smiles to himself watching how Jaemin keeps holding Jeno’s hand, preventing him from poking the food served on the table with a fork, which he knows Jeno only does that to annoy Jaemin, and he wonders why Jaemin still falls for it.

A voice in his head tells him that maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to have someone who knows you inside out and does stupid things just to get a rise from you.

Hand still holding Jeno’s, but clearly done with his antics for the day, Jaemin sweeps his gaze around the room and meets Renjun’s amused eyes. He perks up and waves gleefully to Donghyuck and Renjun, as if they’ve separated any longer than a half hour since the party started. He pulled a whining Jeno along with him, approaching them.

“At least we have one happy couple among us,” Renjun hums to his drink.

“Life does come with good things, Junnie,” Donghyuck retaliates; Renjun can practically hear the eye roll in his tone.

He only shoots the other a lopsided smile.

“Hello, fellow angst teens!” Jaemin greets them, Jeno rolling his eyes behind him.

“Oh, Hyuck, look who’s talking,” Renjun snickers, but the corner of his lips tugging.

Donghyuck snorts, “The angst mother hen teen himself.”

“I know right,” Jeno chimes in.

“I need new friends, I hate you all.”

“Yeah? But sorry hun, no one would be able to put up with you so you’re stuck with us.”

Jaemin sticks his tongue to Donghyuck.

“How have you been holding, honestly,” Renjun asks Jeno, laughing.

“Man, I wish I have another choice.”

“Jen!”

And laughter erupts. Jaemin pouts, but his friends’ laughter warms his heart he laughs with them in the end.

And Renjun feels at ease, it’s always been so easy to laugh with his best of friends, even when he doesn’t feel like it. He missed a pair of eyes gleaming watching him laughing from the other side of the room, adoring, hoping that he could make him laugh as freely as he is at the moment eventually. Smiling, keeping one more goal in his heart, Chenle turns his attention back to the crowd surrounding Jisung and him.

The party ends sooner than Renjun expected, with the amount of people Chenle invited. But that’s because most of the guests are from Jisung’s dance class who are older than him and they still treat him as a baby so they leave because everyone collectively agree that “It’s way past the baby’s sleep time.” As the guests bid their goodbyes and congratulate Jisung once again for his birthday, Renjun keeps watching, bitterly, at how Chenle stays by Jisung’s side the whole time.

“Just say you’re jealous and go,” Jaemin elbows him.

“That’s what I said. But it’s him, so he would probably never admit it,” Donghyuck adds.

He glares at them, groaning, “Why am I friends with you again?”

“No one else can put up with you, that’s why,” Jeno says, eye smile on display.

He just pouts, looking away when Donghyuck and Jeno high five. _He was right, though_ , he thought. And though there might be another people who could put up with his attitude, he wouldn’t trade his best friends for the world.

His eyes fall back on Chenle who is currently holding a trash bag together with Jisung, his other hand throwing the trashes into it while he sings, loudly. There is something in the way Chenle sings that draws anyone in, like an enchanting spell, luring unsuspecting souls that listen, giving them a glimpse of how would heaven sound like. And Renjun is just another willing victim.

“We should help,” he says as he walks towards Chenle and Jisung without waiting for his best friends’ response, partly because he does want to help, and another part is that’s his reasoning to get closer to Chenle without listening to them teasing him about it.

He didn’t see that they exchange amused glances behind him, smiling knowingly before following him and help their two youngest.

“Ge, you don’t have to,” Chenle says when Renjun helps picking up trash beside him.

“I want to,” he replies, picking up another used cup and throws it to the trash bag, “Besides it’ll be done faster if we work together.”

“You’re right,” Chenle says after a second of pause, beaming.

He doesn’t look up, not wanting to see how bright Chenle is smiling at him, which could make his heart combust. He focuses on picking more trashes and how to stay by Chenle’s side without making it seem too obvious. He pushes back down the ugly green jealousy in his chest because Jisung is still there with them.

But then he suspects that Chenle knows he still can’t warm up enough with Jisung because Chenle starts talking again. He feels thankful, though, because Chenle always finds something amusing to say so they don’t have to succumb in awkward silence. He notices Jisung sighs in relief when Chenle jokes to melt the weird tension, which, he knows, caused by his presence.

When they are done with cleaning up Jisung’s place, they gather up in the front porch to bid their goodbyes.

Chenle, much to Renjun’s delight, latches onto him, “I’m going home with Renjun-ge!”

“Geez, Le, we know you’re excited but keep it low. Renjun hates loud noises,” Jeno says, but his eyes reflecting how amused he is.

Chenle pouts, “Sorry.” Before Renjun says something to console him, he smiles to him. “I can’t promise to stay silent ge, but I’ll try to keep it down a notch,” he says with too much determination in his eyes.

Renjun, understandably, melts. “That’s fine, Chenle. You don’t have to change for me.”

Chenle shrugs, “If changing for you also means I can be a better person, I don’t mind.”

Renjun feels his heart and cheeks warm up at Chenle’s words. _Chenle is too cute for his own good_ , his mind supplies. Fruitlessly willing his blush away, he clears his throat, “If that’s what you want.”

“Le, you’re not staying over?” Jisung’s timid voice bursts Renjun’s bubble.

Chenle shakes his head. “Sorry Ji, I have to escort my date back home.”

Jeno wipes nonexistent tears in his eyes, “My son has grown up a lot.”

“Do we have to be chaperone?” Jaemin asks with his right hand lifted up.

Renjun rolls his eyes. “Please, just go straight back home.”

“Aw come on Jun, you know they just want their kid to be back home safe and sound,” Donghyuck chides.

Renjun rolls his eyes again. “What? You think I’m gonna kidnap him?”

A chorus of “Yes” has Chenle bursts laughing, but Renjun isn’t a slightest bit impressed.

“I resign as you guys’ friend. See you never.”

“Bye Junnie, bye Lele, see you tomorrow.”

“Don’t miss us too much!”

He snorts, dragging a still laughing Chenle outside to the sidewalk, not looking back.

They walk side by side in comfortable silence. Chenle, true to his words, doesn’t talk much, just singing random songs, still latching onto Renjun to keep warm. Renjun feels guilty for Chenle’s effort of changing himself while it wasn’t Chenle’s fault at all that Renjun is bad with small talk.

He rakes his brain trying to find something to say, something to make up for what he thinks as the lack of effort in his part. But he can’t find anything that wouldn’t sound too boring or too serious. So he resorts to something casual, crossing his fingers it wouldn’t appear too cliché. “Chenle?”

Chenle whips his head towards him so fast he might get a whiplash, eyes sparkling with interest and joy, like he’s been expecting Renjun to talk to him. “Yes, ge?”

Renjun tries not to grimace at how enthusiastic Chenle sounds. “Want some ice cream while we walk? Or bubble tea?”

Chenle’s face breaks into wide smile. “Or! We can buy ice cream and eat it at the park!”

Renjun frowns, “But it’s already late.”

Chenle waves his hand in dismissal, “My mom knows I’ll be home late today.”

Renjun’s frown deepens. “But is it really okay?”

“It’s fine ge, really,” Chenle slips his hand out of Renjun’s arm and hold his hand instead, intertwining their fingers. “I wanna spend more time with you.”

Chenle smiles so lovingly Renjun almost chokes. The warmth from where their hands joined together creeps onto his chest and spreads to his whole body Renjun could cry. How he wants to keep this moment framed on his wall forever.

“Okay,” he breathes and the smile on Chenle’s face widens, so bright the stars above blink with him, bathing them in serene night glow, as if they’re also happy for them.

They choose the bubble tea in the end, thinking it would be easier for their stomachs to digest so late in the night. After collecting their drink, they walk and sit on the park. It’s dark without much light from the scarce lampposts around but the stars twinkling in the sky is enough for them to see the light in each other’s eyes.

Renjun wishes he doesn’t blush at how their hands still intertwined the whole time, _which_ , he thinks, _is no use anyways_ , as he feels both of his cheeks heated. But Chenle doesn’t look like he is about to let go anytime soon. And maybe, Renjun also wants to keep it that way.

And apparently, the serene atmosphere that engulfs them also invites the need to fill the air with some low, whispered nothings, urging the both of them to talk to the other with something that has been bugging in the back of their minds, but they couldn’t find the time to say it before.

“Chenle—“

“Ge—“

They stare at each other, wide eyed, and then burst laughing.

“You first,” they say in unison. Then they blink and laugh again. The air feels easy, light and comfortable, and Renjun wonders why he didn’t do this sooner.

He tilts his head, “You go first.”

Chenle grins before it turns into a soft smile and the mood shifts. “Thank you for coming with me today, ge. It really means a lot to me. I know you still have bad blood with Jisung, but I know he’s grateful that you come to his birthday.

“And I know you still feel... guilty about the incident. That’s why I asked you to come in the first place. I wanted to show you that I want you in my life, ge.”

“Chenle...”

“I don’t want to force you into this, though. If you don’t feel comfortable with going in to my circle, you’re free to draw back, ge. Whatever makes you comfortable.”

Renjun squeezes Chenle’s hand. “I told you I wanna try, Chenle. I’m still scared of what could happen in the future... to us,” he gestures to their intertwined hands, “to this. But if you’re willing to change yourself for me, I will also try to accept and learn more about you, including going into your circle,” he smiles. “I want to do this, with you.”

Chenle smiles so bright the stars feel ashamed and hide. “Kun-gege says we have our whole life together and that’s a lot of time, so take your time learning to accept me, ge. I’m not in a hurry, don’t worry! I’ll also try my best to be the person you trust the most! Well, beside Jeno hyung, Jaemin hyung and Donghyuck hyung, of course! But, you know, someone you can trust with just anything!”

Renjun giggles, his fist covering his mouth. “You’re so cute.”

Chenle gapes in the mixture of awestruck at how beautiful Renjun looks and sounds giggling and flustered of being called cute. “What?”

Renjun collects himself, saying with a calmer composure, “You’re cute, Chenle.”

“Thank you for coming into my life, Chenle. You know, I’ve always found you cute since the first time we met in front of my classroom then. And when you said you’re the kid Mr. Byun sent me, I thought, ‘ _it’s must be my first win’_.” He chuckles. “I wanted to ask you out, you know.”

Chenle gasps, eyes widen comically in disbelief, “You? You wanted to ask me out?”

He nods and smiles at how adorable Chenle looks blushing, then continues, “The next morning, when the soul mark appeared, well... I freaked out.” He casts his gaze down, playing with the hem of his jacket, “I didn’t want a soul mate. I thought ‘ _it can’t be’_ , ‘ _why life has to play me like this’_. And I hurt you because of my own personal problem. I’m sorry.” He looks up when Chenle squeezes his hand.

“We’ve talked about this and I told you I forgive you already. Please forget about that. I don’t want you to be haunted by something I’m already over with...”

“Still—“

“Ge,” Chenle says, staring into Renjun’s eyes, piercing deep into him, both of his hand holding Renjun’s hand firmly. “I mean it. Please forget it.”

He searches in Chenle’s eyes, for any sign of pretense, fake sympathy, even grudge. But he finds nothing other than he’s lost, drowning in those eyes, which are so deep, warm ...and welcoming. Eyes are always his favorite part of human, for they would always be honest despite of the lies the mouth spits, and Chenle’s eyes are mesmerizing, captivating, and for the moment, he knows that those eyes would always be his number one favorite.

Deeper in those eyes, he also finds patience, which makes him think of how Chenle has mature, understanding mind behind his childish, loud antics. _Jaemin was right, Chenle grows with so much love he can’t help but to give it back to the world_. “I will.”

Chenle nods, content with the answer. “Good,” he squeezes Renjun’s hand again, smiling. “Don’t worry; we will learn together, ge.” Chenle’s eyes hold so much hope and faith Renjun doesn’t have the time to contemplate about how Chenle just said the exact same thing he said to Donghyuck a few hours earlier.

”We will,” he says, smiling back to his soul mate.

They are drowning too deep in each other’s eyes they fail to notice that the soul marks in Chenle’s left hand and Renjun’s right hand, which are still intertwined together, are glowing softly.

But that doesn’t last, as Chenle tears his gaze from Renjun’s eyes, and looks at their glowing mark with so much wonder in his eyes. And he screeches. God, Jaemin and Jeno never told Renjun specifically how loud Chenle could get. “It’s glowing, ge, it’s glowing!”

He chuckles, “Yes, Chenle. I can see that.” But he doesn’t even look down at the marks, too stuck in daze of how beautiful Chenle looks, illuminated by the soft glow from the soul marks on their hands and the stars above, smiling so brightly, he would just believe if anyone said it’s just Chenle radiating his own light. Boy is he whipped for Chenle.

As Renjun doesn’t respond to him, Chenle looks up but then gets flustered because of the way Renjun looks at him with so much honey dripping from his eyes.

Renjun realizes then that he is staring and clears his throat. “Yes, what is it?”

Chenle only scratches his flushed cheek. He wonders why his face feels so warm when the air is pretty chilly tonight. He looks away, pretending to enjoy the park’s night view to avoid Renjun’s eyes. “Nothing, ge.”

 _Oh, he gets shy too_ , Renjun giggles then follows Chenle’s eyes, staring at the distance, to the horizon, where the bright night sky and the top of the trees’ silhouettes meet. The night feels tranquil, with the quiet atmosphere, the warmth spreading from sitting close to Chenle; and for the moment, he gets a glimpse of what peace of mind feels like. He closes his eyes, basks in the moment, trying to keep it in his memories.

But his peace is soon shattered when a strike of flashlight and a loud camera shutter, followed by a high pitched “Oh shit!” startle him. He whips his heaad to Chenle who has a deer caught in the red light look in his face. He eyes the phone in his hand which Chenle hurriedly hides behind his back. “Chenle...”

“It was nothing, ge!”

He extends his free hand to Chenle, palm open, “Let me see.”

“No! You’re gonna delete it!”

He raises his brow, “Chenle, I just wanna see.”

“No!” Chenle lets go of his hand and starts running away, screeching loudly.

“Yah! Zhong Chenle! Come back here!”

Chenle turns to face him, running backwards before turning away again, screaming, “Catch me if you can!”

He groans and relents, follows suit running to chase Chenle, making the younger screeches even louder. “You’re so gonna regret it!”

Turns out, Chenle is not only loud, but also fast and slick Renjun can’t keep up with him even when he manages to catch him. He slips out of Renjun’s chokehold easily and starts running around again, his smart phone tucked in his jacket’s inner pocket, safe from Renjun’s reach. Renjun can’t help but to smile, feeling himself happy to see Chenle acting so freely around him, but he stops chasing when he feels his chest tightens.

Chenle stops running when he sees Renjun has his hands on his knees, panting. He runs to Renjun’s side, but stops a few steps away from his. “Ge, you okay?” he asks, frowning.

Renjun waves his hand, “Just need to catch a breath a bit.”

Chenle bits his lower lip, worried eyes focused on Renjun who’s trying to take in some more air in long breathes.

Noticing Chenle’s worry, Renjun tries to divert his mind, “You have some water?”

Chenle pouts, shaking his head. “No, I’m sorry...”

“It’s fine, I’m fine, Chenle, really. I just need to work out again. I’ve been lazing around too much these days,” Renjun says as he tries to muster a smile to appear more convincing, despite his voice comes out hoarse since he’s overworking his lung that is currently squeezing hard just to breathe,

Chenle nods, but still frowning, and moves closer, but not too close so he wouldn’t block the air from flowing to the older, just enough for his hand to reach his back. He rubs Renjun’s back gently as he keeps breathing. Molding his lips, he tries not to breathe too much, afraid that he would take Renjun’s share of air.

They stay like that for what feels like forever while it’s just one full agonizing minute. Then Renjun stands straight back up again, and colors finally back to his face, he smiles to Chenle who’s still has a frown in his face. He chuckles, flattening Chenle’s brows, “Stop frowning, I’m okay now.”

But Chenle pouts instead. “I couldn’t help you...”

“Hey, you rubbed my back, that helped me relaxed, you know,” he says, smiling softly. “Thank you.”

Chenle looks into his eyes, “That helped? Are you sure?”

 “Of course it did. It would be harder for me to breathe if I didn’t relax.”

Chenle squints his eyes, searching in Renjun’s eyes, then he sighs when he finds nothing. “If you say so.” His eyes turn firm in a second. “Next time,” he says, “Next time I will do better. I’ll help you more than that.”

Renjun can’t help but to raise his brow in amusement, “You expect there’s next time for me to be out of breath?”

Chenle loses his cool, spluttering, “N-no! I mean, no of course not! I don’t want you to go through that again, but, you know—“

Renjun laughs at his cute panicked face, “Relax, I understand. I was joking.”

Chenle gapes and blinks twice then pouts. “You’re evil.” Before Renjun can reply, he adds, “I was worried, you know.” Fully frowning, he hung his head low.

 _Oh no_. Renjun panics. “Hey hey, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.” He reaches Chenle’s shoulder but Chenle flinches away from his hand. _Okay, this is bad_. “Chenle I’m sorry—“

Then Chenle jumps, screaming, making faces to Renjun, laughing, to which Renjun screams and falls on his butt. Chenle laughs louder, clapping loudly while Renjun groans on the ground, rubbing his sore butt. He grins as he helps pulling Renjun stand back up. “I got you, ge.”

Renjun snorts. “Yeah, quite ironically.”

Chenle giggles. “You’re so salty ge, you need some sugar.”

“Uh huh. I see enough people who are always high on sugar like you and Hyuck and that’s tiresome enough to watch. So, no, thanks.”

“And oh, bitter too,” Chenle laughs loudly.

Renjun clicks his tongue but he smiles nonetheless watching how free Chenle laughs. Maybe he does need some sugar in his life, but he has a lifetime stock of it now with Chenle by his side, doesn’t he? He takes Chenle’s hand and holds it firmly, grinning when Chenle stops laughing and blushes. “Let’s go home, shall we?”

Chenle is never one to let his fluster keep him speechless. “Let’s go!”

Renjun smiles and keeps Chenle’s hand on his arm along the way as they walk back home. Neither of them tries to start a conversation to fill in the silence other than Chenle’s quiet singing. If Renjun likes the song, he sings along with Chenle, which makes him smiles bright in delight.

When they reach Chenle’s gate, Chenle doesn’t immediately let go of Renjun’s hand, pouting in his place by Renjun’s side instead. “I don’t want this day to end.”

Renjun has to refrain himself from cooing. “It’s late, Chenle, it’s already ended anyway.”

Chenle stares into his eyes, still pouting. “I know, but I like to be with you.”

Renjun wonders how he would survive with such level of adorableness. “I do too, Chenle. But you have to go in and rest.”

“You do? You like spending time with me?” Chenle beams so bright, so wide Renjun afraid his face might split.

He nods, smiling. “Of course. And we can meet again on Moday. We still go to the same school, remember?”

Chenle gasped dramatically, laughing. “You’re right!”

“And I still have to tutor you, so that’s plenty of time we could be together, don’t you think?”

Chenle chuckles, “I suppose you’re right again.”

He releases a relieved sigh. He thanks heavens Chenle isn’t very difficult to convince; otherwise he wouldn’t know what else to say. He smiles, squeezing Chenle’s hand. “So, see you on Monday?”

Chenle nods. “See you on Monday.” Then Chenle reluctantly let go of his hand and Renjun finds himself already missing his warmth. Chenle walks backwards to his house, waving at Renjun, repeating, “See you, ge.”

Renjun laughs, waving back, “See you, Chenle.” He waits until Chenle turns to his door before turning and walk away. But he hasn’t even reached the third step when Chenle screams his name.

He turns back to see Chenle sprinting to him. It hasn’t been an hour passed and he already forgets how fast Chenle is. Before he opens his mouth to speak, a bit taken aback from how fast Chenle approaching, a kiss lands on his cheek.

It’s like the time wants to test him since the kiss happens too fast to his liking. Chenle’s lips feels so nice, so warm on his cheeks he feels his face heated pleasantly. He stares in haze into Chenle’s eyes when he pulls away, grinning widely.

Those eyes hold innocent sparkle, bold yet shy, and glowing with intense mirth.

Before he can process, Chenle skips backwards to his house again, yelling, “See you ge!”

He stands rooted on his spot for a few moments, hand hovering on the cheek Chenle kissed. His mind can’t register fast enough that the kiss, indeed, happened. Or he just doesn’t want to move on and get over with the feeling, but don’t tell that to Chenle.

When the wind blows past him, sending chills down his spine, he finally realizes that he’s still standing in front of Chenle’s gate, and Chenle has long disappeared inside. He pulls his jacket closer, but he thinks that the warmth from the inside, from how giddy he feels about the kiss, about this night, about Chenle, is enough to keep him warm. Smiling to himself like an idiot, he trudges his way back home.

He comes back home still in daze, eyes staring into nothing, stuck in haze, a broken record plays the way Chenle’s eyes sparkling after he kissed him on repeat in his head. He missed his dad’s questioning look when he opened the door for him. When he stops and finally looks around, he’s already arrived in his room and he’s grateful he has an autopilot that allows him to move in the right path without bumping into anything.

He quickly washes up and gets changed into comfortable clothes then throws himself onto the bed. As per usual, before sleep, he plugs his smart phone to the charger and starts scrolling through his social medias. A new photo Chenle uploaded caught his eyes.

 

**@chuhluh**

 

 

Promise we will learn tgt <3

**@geesung**

That’s right gotta get that A to pass mr. Byuns class

**@najaem**

And someone said jeno and i can’t be chaperone! @injoon

**@leejen**

Why does boy look like he high on smth

**@kunfuss**

Oh is this the lucky boy

 

He smiles to himself. He can’t lie and say Chenle doesn’t make his heart skip a beat or he doesn’t make him always wants to be near the younger anymore. Because as much as scary what the future hold is for him, it feels like everything will be okay like how he could laugh easily with his best friends on his darkest days, so maybe, with Chenle, as long as they hold each other’s hands, they will be okay.

He is still scared that he might change like his father and hurt Chenle, and Chenle might would just forgive him and take him back over and over again like his father, but Chenle has shown him that there’s still hope in this cold world after all, despite him being younger than Renjun. Chenle has so much love in him Renjun can’t help but to feel like, maybe, it wouldn’t hurt to hope for the best. And as long as Chenle is willing to stay by his side, maybe, he would give his all to try.

He taps Chenle’s contact, which used to seem like glaring at him because of the guilty feeling because of what he did to Chenle, and types a text. If he wants to try, he has to take a step. He wished nothing would go wrong anymore.

 

**Huang Renjun**

Hey

You asleep?

 

**Zhong Chenle**

Hi ge

Nope i’m p much awake

Why

 

**Huang Renjun**

Nothing

Just wanna say thanks for today

 

**Zhong Chenle**

Is this where you say the l word

 

**Huang Renjun**

Don’t push it chenle

 

**Zhong Chenle**

Lmao

As if someone didn’t stay in front of my house for thirty mins after i kith him

 

**Huang Renjun**

It wasn’t thirty minute

And in my defense, i was surprised

 

**Zhong Chenle**

It was a nice surprise wasn’t it ;)

 

**Huang Renjun**

Gn chenle

 

He is used to stolen kisses, befriends for years with Jaemin and Donghyuck, who both are clingy, affectionate confident gays, he wouldn’t blink if they kissed him out of the blue. But this is Chenle, someone who has just recently comes into his life, with quite a commotion in the beginning he couldn’t stare at him without guilt gnawing in his chest. The kiss itself didn’t feel bad, he was just surprised, but if he could get used to Jaemin and Donghyuck’s platonic kisses, he could also get used to Chenle’s romantic ones.

 

**Zhong Chenle**

Sdbjs nO wait

 

**Huang Renjun**

What

 

**Zhong Chenle**

Nothing

I’m going to bed ge it’s late

Gotta get my beauty sleep

 

**Huang Renjun**

...consider yourself blocked

But yeah it’s pretty late ig

Go sleep

 

**Zhong Chenle**

NO

P l e a s e

^^

Gn ge

 

**Huang Renjun**

Goodnight chenle

 

**Zhong Chenle**

<3

 

An idea pops in his head. He giggles to himself as he types away on his smart phone, imagining the possible reaction to what he’s doing. When he’s done, he set his smart phone on Do Not Disturb mode, and put it on the bedside table then tries to sleep.

 

**@injoon**

 

 

One step at a time

**@leejen**

What’s happening is the world coming to an end

**@najaem**

Chenle’s power

**@haehyuck**

Someone’s in love

**@morklee**

I’m looking forward to meet him jun

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> could you tell how much i adore chenle?
> 
> [edit] Icb i misused the term for chaperone i almost made it sexual i hate myself


End file.
